Written by Issac Greaves
Saturday, May 5th, 2012
Activity
Students each have a small piece of paper/card like the one above with a phrase in the target language and it’s translation underneath. Students mill around the room, when they ‘bump’ into someone student A will say their phrase in Spanish and student B has to translate (quiz), the same happens with student B’s card (quiz) if both students translate each other’s card correctly they trade, hence the quiz-quiz-trade. To add an element of competition, ask the students to count the amount of times they exchanged and give a prize/raffle ticket/house point to the winner.
Equipment
- A set of cards set out like the one shown above. If you click the image above you will be able to take my full copy of ‘la hora’. I have used paper and it is enough to be used several times.
Extension activities
- Once the students have had a good practise, you could get them practising the same question and answers without support and do role plays in front of the class.
A good activity because…
- It can be used throughout the key stages, and is particularly useful as an independent speaking activity.
- You can use it to drill paragraphs, phrases or single words.
- You can differentiate by having different coloured card/paper so all students know which level they have achieved.
- Students like competition and it keeps them busy. Just remind them not to stop after they have done it once.
- It could be used as a plenary at any stage of the lesson to assess what has been learnt up until that point.
- You can join in and drill specific pronunciation errors that have frequently occurred.
- Every class I have done this speaking activity with have enjoyed it and participated fully.
